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A  SERMON 


ON 


THE  LITURGY 


OF    THE 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


PREACHED    BEFORE  THE    CONVENTION    HELD    IN    CHRIST-CHURCH, 
PHILADELPHIA,    JUNE   15,  1808. 


BY  JAMES  ABERCROMBIE,  D.  D. 

ONE  OF  THE  ASSISTANT  MINISTERS  OF  CHRIST-CHURCH  AND  ST.  PETER'S. 


PRINTED  BY  SMITH  ^  MAXWELL, 

PHILADELPHIA.  ^  ^  - 

1808.  ' 


IN  CONVENTION  OF  THE  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL 
CHURCH,  IN  THE  COMMONWEALTH  OF  PENNSYL- 
VANIA,  JUNE    15,     1808. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Convention 
be  presented  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Abercrombie,  for 
his  Serinon^  delivered  this  Day^  and  that  he  be  re- 
quested to  furnish  a  copy  of  the  same  to  be  pinnted. 

Extract  from  the  ^ournal^ 

P.  F.  Glentworth,  Secretary. 


THE  Authour  of  this  Sermon,  being  unexpect- 
edly called  upon  to  preach  before  the  Convention, 
only  four  days  previous  to  the  meeting  of  that  body  ; 
and  having  his  time  almost  entirely  occupied  by  the 
duties  of  his  academical  and  parochial  charges,  he 
could  not  possibly  pay  that  attention  to  its  compo- 
sition, which  the  importance  of  the  occasion  and 
the  dignity  of  his  subject  required.  He,  therefore, 
trusts  the  candid  reader  will  pardon  those  deficien- 
cies and  errours,  which  a  more  extended  period  for 
its  preparation  might  have  enabled  him  to  avoid. 
A  few  sentences  in  the  course  of  the  Sermon  are 
transcribed  from  a  Lecture  on  our  Liturgy,  attached 
to  his  Lectures  on  the  Catechism  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  lately  published. 

Philad  June  2StJu  1808. 


TO 

THE  RIGHT  REV.  WILLIAM  WHITE,  D.  D, 

BISHOP  OF  THE  PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 
IN  THE  STATE  OF  PENNSYLVANIA, 

THE  FOLLOWING 
SERMON 

IS  MOST  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED, 

As  a  publick  testimony  of  the  sincere  Esteem^  Attach- 
ment^ and  Gratitude,  of 

His  affectionate  Friend, 

And  faithful  Servant, 

THE  AUTHOUR. 


A  SERMON,  &c 


I  WILL  PRAY  WITH  THE  SPIRIT,  AND  I  WILL  PRAY  WITH 
THE  UNDERSTANDING  ALSO  I  I  WILL  SING  WITH  THE  SPIRIT, 
AND    I    WILL    SING    WITH    THE    UNDERSTANDING    ALSO. 

1    Ep.   to    COR.    14   CH.    15  V. 


The  immediate  cause  of  this  declaration  of  the 
holy  Apostle  was,  the  ostentatious  display  of  the 
gift  of  tongues,  with  which  some  of  his  brethren 
distinguished  themselves;  speaking  to  the  people 
in  an  unknown  language,  by  which  they  could 
not  be  edified. 

Against  this  practice,  St.  Paul  reasons  and  re- 
monstrates, in  the  chapter  from  which  my  text  is 
taken,  declaring  it  to  be  the  duty  of  a  Christian, 


8 


and  more  particularly  of  a  Christian  minister,  to 
perform  the  publiek  offices  of  religion,  not  only 
with  sincerity  and  zeal,  but  in  such  a  manner  as 
should  most  effectually  tend  to  promote  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  spiritual  improvement  of  those 
who  were  assembled  to  worship  him.  "  I  will 
pray  with  the  spirit,  and  I  will  pray  with  the  under- 
standing also:  I  will  sing  with  the  spirit,  and  I  will 
sing  with  the  understanding  also." 

The  occasion  of  my  present  address,  Brethren, 
originates  in  a  resolution  of  our  State  Convention 
two  years  ago,  that  its  future  annual  meetings 
should  be  opened  with  a  Sermon  or  Charge:  and 
the  admirably  comprehensive  Charge  of  our  venera- 
ble Bishop,  delivered  at  the  last  meeting,  and  since 
published,  leaving  no  room  to  descant  upon  the 
cstablislnuiiit  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  tlie 
various  duties  of  tJic  clerical  character,  I  ha\'e  suppo- 
sed that  no  other  subject  would  be  more  appropriate, 
than  that  of  the  duty  of  connecting  wisdom  with 
zeal  in  our  devotional  exercises;  as  exemplified  in 
that  fervid  effusion  of  piety  and  wisdom,  the  estab- 
lished Liturgy  of  our  Church. 


I  propose,  therefore,  in  the  followmg  Discourse, 

1.  Briefly  to  suggest  a  few  arguments  in  favour  of 
a  preconceived  or  written  form  of  publick  worship ; 

2.  To  point  out  a  few  of  the  most  prominent 
excellencies  of  that  adopted  by  us;  and, 

3.  To  recommend  a  uniform  and  general  per- 
formance of  it,  agreeable  to  the  requisitions  of  its 
rubricks. 

That  the  best  exertions  of  our  noblest  faculties 
should  be  employed  in  praising  and  adoring  that 
Almighty  Being  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  them 
and  every  other  privilege  and  enjoyment,  is  the 
unequivocal  dictate  of  Reason.  Sound  Reason, 
however,  and  the  impulses  of  passion,  or  the  reve- 
ries of  a  heated  imagination,  often  impel  to  directly 
opposite  conduct.  Reason,  frequently  styled  "  the 
candle  of  the  Lord  in  man,"  was  given  to  regulate 
and  restrain  the  operations  of  passion,  and  to  direct 
and  control  the  fervours  of  imagination.  And,  under 
the  influence  of  this  Heaven-born  guide,  and  the 
precepts  and  examples  recorded  for  our  instruction 
in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  holy  and  learned  men, 
sanctioned  by  civil  appointment,  immediately  after 


10 


that  important  era,  the  Reformation,  assembled  to 
digest  such  a  form  of  pubhck  worship,  as  should 
at  once  accord  with  the  purity  of  Evangelical  truth, 
the  general  expression  of  religious  homage  by  a 
whole  congregation,  and  the  dignity  and  authority 
of  Episcopal  administration.  Accordingly,  this  truly 
venerable  association,  in  which  a  Cranmer,  a  La- 
timer, a  Ridley,  and  many  others  whose  wisdom, 
piety,  and  zeal  were  "  known  unto  all  men,''  and 
"  whose  praise  was  in  all  the  churches,"  after  the 
most  mature  deliberation,  accompanied  by  prayer 
to  Almighty  CtOd  for  the  influence  of  his  Holy 
Spirit  to  direct  and  guide  them,  produced  a  Liturgy, 
which  forms  the  basis  of  that  sublime  and  compre- 
hensive series  of  Instruction  and  Devotion,  that  now 
constitutes  the  publick  service  and  offices  of  our 
Church;  and  from  the  doctrinal  part  of  which  we 
have  in  no  degree  departed;  submitting  only  to  such 
deviations,  as  local  and  political  circumstances  ren- 
dered necessary  and  unavoidable. 

'^  This  form  of  sound  words,"  says  Archbishop 
Seckek,  ''  was  first  compiled,  tlicn  reviewed,  and 
approved  by  Confessors  and  Martyrs  for  the  Pro- 


11 


testant  cause."  It  has  since  been  deliberated  upon 
by  Convocations,  confirmed  by  Conventions,  and 
applauded  by  the  great  and  good,  through  a  long 
succession  of  years. 

The  use  and  propriety  of  established  forms  of 
publick  worship,  are  sanctioned  by  high  and  various 
authority. 

We  find,  in  the  6th  chapter  of  the  book  of 
Numbers,  that  God  himself  dictated  the  form  of 
blessing  that  the  Priests  should  use.  "  And  the 
Lord  spake  unto  Moses,  saying,  ''  On  this  wise 
ye  shall  bless  the  Children  of  Israel,  sayi7ig  unto 
them^  The  Lord  bless  thee,  and  keep  thee:  the 
Lord  make  his  fa.ce  to  shine  upon  thee,  and  be 
gracious  unto  thee:  the  Lord  lift  up  his  counte- 
nance upon  thee,  and  give  thee  peace."  And  this 
very  form  of  blessing  is  prescribed  by  our  Liturgy, 
in  the  office  for  the  visitation  of  the  sick.  In  the 
same  book  is  recorded  the  form  of  benediction  at 
the  removal  and  resting  of  the  ark:  and  in  the  21st 
of  Deuteronomy,  the  form  of  expiation  of  murder: 
and  in  the  26th,  the  confession  of  him  who  offereth 
the  basket   of  first  fruits ;  and  the  prayer  of  him 


12 


who  givcih  ilic  third  year's  tythes.  To  these  and 
other  single  instances  may  be  added,  that  rich  and 
subhme  variety  of  prayer  and  praise  in  the  book 
of  Psahns,  which  were  composed  by  David  and 
other  pious  members  of  the  Jewish  Church,  for 
the  service  of  the  Temple.* 

"  In  the  language  of  this  divine  book,"  says  the 
pious  and  learned  Bishop  Horne,  ''  the  prayers  of 
the  Chvirch  have  been  offered  up  to  the  throne  of 
grace  from  age  to  age ;  and  it  appears  to  have  been 
the  manual  of  the  Son  of  God  in  the  days  of 
his  flesh;  who,  at  the  conclusion  of  his  Supper,  is 
generally  supposed,  and  that  upon  good  grounds, 
to  have  sung  a  hymn  taken  from  it;  who  pronoun- 
ced upon  the  Cross,  the  beginning  of  the  twenty- 
second  Psalm,  ''  My  God,  my  God,  wdiy  hast  thou 
forsaken  me!"  and  expired  with  a  part  of  the  thirty- 
first  in  his  mouth;  "Into  thy  hands  I  commend  my 
spirit!"  Thus  he,  "  who  spake  as  never  man  spake," 

*  By  Ambrosi-:  tlic  Psalms  arc  called  ''the  Instru- 
ments of  \'irtiic" — by  Basil,  "  the  Essence  of  The- 
olo[^y" — and  by  Ath  a  n  asius  and  others,  ''the  Epitome 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures." 


13 


chose  to  conclude  his  Hfe,  to  solace  himself  in  his 
greatest  agony,  and  at  last  to  breathe  out  his  soul 
in  the  Psalmist's ybrm  of  words  rather  than  his  own. 
No  tongue  of  man  or  angel,  as  Dr.  Hammond 
justly  observes,  can  convey  a  higher  idea  of  any 
book,  and  of  their  felicity  who  use  it." 

If  we  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment, (for  the  copiousness  of  the  subject  requires 
brevity  in  the  respective  branches  of  it)  we  find, 
that  St.  John,  the  precursor  of  our  Saviour,  taught 
his  disciples  diform  of  prayer,  as  the  Jewish  Doc- 
tors had  taught  theirs;  upon  which  is  grounded 
the  application  of  Christ's  disciples  to  him,  as 
recorded  in  the  11th  chapter  of  St.  Luke's  Gospel: 
"  Lord"  said  they  to  him,  "  teach  us  to  pray,"  or, 
give  us  some  form  for  our  constant  use,  "  as  John 
also,"  and  the  publick  teachers  of  other  religious 
sects  have  taught  theirs. t 

t  This  was  a  very  natural  and  proper  application — 
for  these  disciples,  as  well  as  Jesus  himself,  and  his 
precursor  John,  being  Jews,  held  always  been  accusto- 
med to  an  established  form  of  prayer. 

For  a  particular  account  of  the  form  used  in  the 
Synagogue,  with  extracts  from  it,  see  Dr.  Prideaux's 


\ 


14 


Accordingly,  Jesus  Chiust  (thereby  in  the  strong- 
est manner  possible,  attesting  his  approbation  oi 
that  mode),  dictated  to  them  that  admirably  com- 
prehensive form  called  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and 
enjoined  their  constant  use  of  it.  ''  And  lie  said 
unto  them,  when  ye  pray,  say.  Our  Father,  &cc." 
and  this,  let  it  be  observed,  is  an  exact  repetition 
of  the  same  form,  given  upon  another  occasion,  as 
recorded  by  St.  Matthew  in  his  6th  chapter. 
''  But  when  ye  pray,  use  not  vain  repetitions,  as 
the  heathen  do:  for  they  think  that  they  shall  be 
heard  for  their  much  speaking;  be  not  yc  therefore 
like  unto  them;  for  your  Father  knoweth  what 
things  ye  have  need  of,  before  ye  ask  him.  After 
this  manner  therefore,  pray  ye:  Our  Father,  8vc." 
It  is  observed  by  Grot i us,  that  so  averse  was 
our  Lord  from  unnecessary  innovation,  and  the 
affectation  of  novelty,  that  he  who  had  ''  the  spirit 
not  by  measure,"  (John  3.  34)  and  in  whom  were  all 
the  "  hidden  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge" 

Connexion  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,    Fol.  Edit. 
Vol.  1,   p.  296. 


15 


(Col.  2.  3)  selected  words  and  phrases  of  this 
Prayer,  principally  from  forms  at  that  time  well 
known  among  the  Jews.* 

"  Of  all  applications  to  the  Supreme  Being,  that 
are  extant,''  says  a  judicious  Commentator,!  "  this  is 
incomparably  the  most  rational,  the  most  devout, 
and  the  best.  Whilst  its  comprehensive  conciseness, 
has  in  all  ages  been  the  admiration  of  the  learned, 
its  beautiful  simplicity  is  not  less  remarkable.  It  is 
so  short  that  all  may  learn  it,  and  so  plain  that  all 
may  understand  it.    At  the  same  time  it  is  so  full,f 

*  Decent  nos  ea,  quae  ex  Hebraeorum  libris  ab  aliis 
sunt  citata,  non  tam  formulam  banc  a  Christo,  suis 
verbis  conceptam,  quam  in  earn  congestum  quicquid  in 
Hebraeorum  precibus  erat  laudabile,  sicut  et  in  admoni- 
tionibus  passim  utitur  notis  eo  seculo  proverbiis.  Tam 
longe  abfuit  ipse  Dominus  ecclesiae  ah  omni  affectatione 
non  nectssarice  novitatis.  Annotat.  in  Matt,  vi,  9.  See 
also  Capellus. 

t  Shepherd. 

J  In  veritate  spiritualiter  copiosa,  ut  nihil  omnino 
praetermissum  sit,  quod  in  precibus  et  orationibus  nostris 
coelestis  doctrinae  compendio  comprehendatur.  (Cyprian) 
Quantum  substringitur  verbis,  tantum  difFunditur  sensi. 
bus.  Tertul. 

c 


16 


that  it  includes  all  our  wants,  and  so  explicit,  that 
whilst  it  directs  us,  how  to  pray,  and  for  what  to 
pray,  it  teaches  us  what  wc  should  be.*  It  is,  in 
reality  a  complete  rule  of  duty,  as  well  as  an  admi- 
rable form  of  prayer.  The  Fathers  call  it  '^  The 
Epitome  of  the*  Gospel. "t 

These  authorities  are  amply  explicit,  conclusive, 
and  sufficient  for  us ;  they  fully  authenticate  the 
truth  and  propriety  of  our  position,  with  respect  to 
the  use  of  an  established  form  of  Prayer ;  which  is 
a  mode  of  Publick  Worship  universally  adopted  by 
the  Christian  Church  from  the  earliest  ages ;  and 
every-where  observed,  until  a  century  or  two  ago, 
when  a  rage  for  innovation,  the  frenzy  of  fanati- 
cism, and  the  folly  of  enthusiasm,  obtained  unlimited 
sway,  leading  their  votaries  to  subvert  all  established 
order,  to  resist  the  truth,  and  to  become  reprobate 
concerning  the    faith.     And    when    by    vain    and 


*  Unusquisque  nostrum  sic  discat  orare,  et  do  orationis 
lege,  qualis  esse  dcbeat,  noscerc.  Cyprian. 

t  Brcviiirium    cvangtlii,  Tert.  See  also,  CypRiANy 
Austin,  Augutine,  &c. 


17 


illiterate  pretenders  to  immediate  inspiration,  their 
crude  conceptions  are  uttered  with  distortions  of 
the  countenance,  convulsions  of  the  frame,  and  an 
affected,  canting  articulation,  can  it,  consistently  with 
reason,  be  supposed,  that  "  with  such  sacrifices 
God  is  well  pleased?"  and  can  it  be  wondered  at, 
that  the  enemies  of  our  holy  faith  should  represent 
it  as  a  system  of  fanaticism,  and  charge  such  profes- 
sing Christians  with  "  offering  to  God  the  sacrifice 
of  fools?"  Did  Christ  and  his  Apostles  instruct 
the  people  in  this  manner,  or  did  any  of  the  ancient 
prophets  practise  such  absurdities  in  their  devotional 
exercises,  and  publick  addresses  ?  I  am  sure  they 
did  not.*  Forms  of  prayer  were  every-where  used 
by  the  dissenters  from  the  established  Church  of 
England,  after  the  Reformation.  Calvin,  their  leader 
and  guide,  in  a  letter  to  the  Protector  under  Ed- 

*  It  is  far  from  being  intended  to  imply,  that  extern- 
pore  prayer  is  necessarily  attended  by  these  extravagan- 
cies. The  argument  is,  that  the  manner  of  publick  prayer 
the  most  liable  to  such  abuse,  is  not  likely  to  have  been 
that  which  was  originally  established  in  the  Christian 
Church. 


18 


ward  Vlth,  hath  these  words,  "  As  to  a  form  of 
prayer,  and  of  Ecclesiastical  Rites,  I  highly  approve 
that  it  should  be  certaiii^  from  which  it  may  not  be 
lawful  for  any  minister  to  depart ;  as  well  in 
consideration  of  the  weakness  and  ignorance  of 
some,  as  that  it  may  more  plainly  appear  how  our 
Churches  agree  amongst  themselves;  and  lastly, 
that  a  stop  may  be  put  to  the  giddiness  of  those 
who  affect  novelties." 

Mr.  Baxter,  a  well  known  eminent  non-confor- 
mist declared,  "  Every  church  on  earth  hath  a 
worse  Liturgy  than  the  Church  of  England." 

Mr.  Carpenter,  a  pious  and  respectable  dissent- 
ing minister,  in  the  same  country,  a  few  years  ago 
proposed  a  Liturgy  for  the  Presbyterians.  He  says, 
in  his  prefatory  address,  ''  Our  mode  of  worship  is 
too  refined  for  the  young  and  ignorant,  and  I  am 
persuaded  that  something  ought  to  be  done  to  ren- 
der our  publick  services  less  tiresome,  and  more 
interesting  to  such  persons.  Forms  of  devotion 
would  give  a  dignity  and  solemnity  to  our  publick 
worship,  and  a  stability  to  our  religious  societies, 
in  which  they  are  now  deficient :  our  publick  wor- 


\ 


19 


ship  is  too  uncertain  and  fluctuating — it  depends 
on  the  frame  of  the  person's  mind  who  officiates, 
which  is  variable,  and  it  changes  when  ministers 
are  changed.  There  is  something  more  solemn  and 
venerable  in  publick  Liturgies,  where  responses  are 
used,  and  where  all  the  people  are  evidently  employ- 
ed in  the  worship  of  their  Maker." 

Several  forms  of  prayer  for  different  publick 
occasions,  iov  family  worship,  sind  private  devotion, 
have  been  given  to  the  world  as  the  habitual  devo- 
tional exercises  of  men,  whose  profound  learning, 
unquestionable  energy  of  mind,  and  fluency  of 
diction,  prohibit  all  doubt  of  their  ability  to  express 
themselves  correctly  in  an  extemporaneous  address 
to  the  Deity,  who  yet  could  not  reconcile  such  un- 
premeditated and  familiar  effusions,  with  their  just 
ideas  of  the  awful  Majesty  of  the  object  addressed, 
and  the  propriety  of  employing  their  best  and  most 
deliberate  abilities  on  so  important  and  solemn  an 
occasion.  But,  though  men  of  learning  and  pious 
dispositions  should  sometimes  coherently  and  judi- 
ciously express  their  devotional  feelings,  and  sup- 
plicate for  the  relief  of  their  wants,  and  the  pardon 


20 


of  their  sins,  from  the  mere  impulse  of  the  moment, 
without  any  preconceived  form,  tliat  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at,  nor  can  any  argument  against  a  pre- 
conceived form  be  grounded  upon  such  premises ; 
that  which  is  true  by  accident,  being  no  just  foun- 
dation of  opposition  to  a  general  principle.  And 
ahhough  no  *'  vain  repetitions''  should  be  used, 
which  is  rarely  the  case,  no  feeble  or  absurd  petitions 
offered,  yet  still  such  are  the  efforts  of  the  petition- 
er's mind  to  recollect  the  various  subjects  he  would 
suggest,  and  to  clothe  his  sentiments  in  the  most 
expressive  language, — and,  on  the  part  of  the  hear- 
er, if  it  be  a  publLck  address,  such  close  attention 
to  the  speaker  is  necessary,  such  a  degree  of  una- 
voidable curiosity  is  awakened  to  know  what  is  to 
be  uttered,  and  such  caution  in  each  individual  lo 
judge  whether  the  petitions  thus  offered  are  appli- 
cable to  himself,  and  such  as  he  can  honestly  and 
cordially  join  in, — that  it  is  impossible  there  can  exist 
that  energy  and  total  devotion  of  the  mind,  that 
surrender  of  the  whole  heart  to  God,  which  should 
always  take  place  when  we  presume  to  invoke  his 
immediate  attention  to  us- 


21 


Another,  among^  manjr  more  very  powerliii 
arguments  in  favour  of  precomposed  prayers^  is^ 
that  they  prevent  the  introduction  of  heterodox 
doctrines  and  false  opinions,  which  are  thus  some- 
times plausibly  and  artfully  imposed  upon  the  hear- 
ers, thereby  rendering  their  devotions  a  violation,  of 
their  faith,  and  consequently  a  mockery  and  insult 
to  the  Deity,  instead  of  a  rational  and  acceptable 
service. 

Such  being  the  general  advantages  of  an  estab- 
lished Formulary  of  Devotions,  I  proceed  tO'  the 
Second  head  of  my  Discourse,  viz.  To  point  out  a 
few  of  the  most  prominent  excellencies  of  that 
adopted  by  us.  But  here,  contemplating  the  ama- 
zing whole,  the  blaze  of  spiritual  hght  dazzles  the 
mental  eye;  and,  where  excelleneies  are  thus  liie 
distinguishing  character  of  every  part,  a  selection 
from  them  embarrasses  the  mind.  Like  the  sacred 
Ark  of  the  Covenant,  under  the  0(d  Dispettsdtion, 
which  stood  in  the  holy  place  of  the  Temple,,  from 
which  the  divine  oracles  were  issued,  and  over  the 
mercy  seat  of  which  the  Shechiiiah  or  symbol  of 
the  Divine   Presence  hovered, — it   should  not  be 


99 


approached  but  with  the  most  profound  reverence 
and  awe:  for,  as  that  Ark  contained  the  Tables  of 
the  moral  law,  the  golden  pot  of  Manna,  Aaron's 
rod  that  budded,  and  the  Pentateuch  or  Covenant 
of  the  Old  Testament — so  in  this  our  Christian  and 
Episcopal  Ark  are  contained,  in  its  various  orders 
and  offices,  the  principles  and  precepts  of  the  same 
moral  law,  improved  and  explained  under  the 
New  Dispensation^ — the  precious  Manna*  of  Evan- 
gelical grace, — and  the  spirit  of  pure  and  unde- 
filed  Religion,  wdiich,  imbibed  into  the  human  heart, 
will  assuredly  produce  in  us  not  only  the  buds  and 
blossoms  of  virtue  and  of  piety,  but  the  maturest  and 
most  copious  fruits  of  true  righteousness: — and, 
in  it  arc  likewise  contained,  in  various  extracts  from 
the  Gospels  and  Epistles,  the  substance  of  the  whole 
body  of  the  New  Testament  Cove)ia/it^  w  hicli  is 
able  to  make  us  wise  unto  Salvation.  And  as  the 
Jewish    Ark   was    consecrated    with    sprinkling    of 


*  Manna  was  itself  prohal)ly  fornud  of  dew,  and  both 
arc  intended  as  natural  emblems  of  the  divine  grace, 
which,  like  dew,  is  a  nourishing  substance,  and  distils  in 
a  secret  and  invisible  manner.  Shepherd. 


2 


O 


blood,  and  was  carried  by  the  Hebrews  as  a  pro- 
tection to  them  through  the  desert,  and  borne  upon 
the  shoulders  of  the  Priests  through  the  river  Jor- 
dan, the  swollen  waters  of  which  divided,  and  open- 
ed a  clear  passage  for  the  whole  Congregation  of 
Israel; — so  our  Liturgical  Ark  is  consecrated  by  the 
great  doctrine  of  Atonement  by  the  blood  of  Christ, 
which  pervades  the  whole,  and  with  the  acknow- 
ledgment of  which  all  its  prayers  are  fconcluded. 
It  is  the  great  spiritual  panoply'  of  our  Church; 
leading  and  protecting  her  children,  through  this 
wilderness  of  sin  and  sorrow;  and  inspiring  her 
faithful  worshippers  vdth  holy  confidence,  to  pass 
undismayed  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
Death,  to  the  promised  land  of  rest,  the  Heavenly 
Canaan. 

Of  the  several  species  of  Prayer,  under  the  cha- 
racters of  Confession,  Adoration,  Supplication, 
Thanksgiving,  Intercession,  and  Petition,  the  most 
sublime  and  perfect  models  of  composition  are  to 
be  found  in  the  Daily  Morning  and  Evening  Ser- 
vice. The  general  Confession  in  each,  introduced 
by  an  affectionate  and  impressive  exhortation,  is  in 


24 


the  highest  degree  calculated  to  solemnize  the  mind, 
and  humble  the  heart  of  the  worshipper;  thus  pre- 
paring it  for  the  reception  of  the  divine  truths  con- 
tained in  the  Lessons  and  Psalms  appointed  for  the 
day,  and  for  those  strains  of  praise  and  grateful 
adoration,  contained  in  the  Te  Deum,  and  general 
Thanksgiving.*  The  fervid  glow  of  devotional  ar- 
dour which  the  various  and  comprehensive  petitions 


^  The  Daily  service  of  our  Church  may  be  reduced  to 
four  general  parts,  Confession,  Thanksgiving,  Supplica- 
tion, and  Intercession:  and  agreeably  to  this  order,  are 
its  different  parts  arranged.  We  are  called  upon  by  the 
Minister  first  to  propitiate  the  Deity  by  humbly  con- 
fessing our  sins ;  ux  may  then  be  considered  as  properly 
qualified  to  thank  him  for  benefits  received;  to  supplicate 
for  a  continuance  of  his  blessings  to  ourselves;  and  to 
intercede  in  behalf  of  others. f 

Kxi  tiYi  u6  »r«?  ff^itoxiui  Trt5  «>tiTSi«5  wgo^^f^fiir.     1  iiKon.  ill  I'pist.   ad 
Phifip.   c.  iv. 

An  yxp  vTi^  Tvt  oidof>e,iyut  ivy;,xpirT%i¥  ^p»ri^»ty  xui  rr.fiKxvra  rr,i  tKirutit 
7rg»7(J><^u».    III.  in  Kp.  ad.  Col.  r.  iv. 

tkiduvKtfAi^a  "Tr^vref  wy^x^iV-rin  y»f^  tw»  n ^cj'Tf.^yuiiaJi  j^ui*  xyxfivf  ttt 
fjTu<;  xiTtif  Tx  iXXitToyrx  —  reyx*  ytt^  ia-rtt  iv»u*  rrxi i xy,o'j  ToicvfTx  ze*  hi6v 
ocTccTTc/ov.   Id.  in  1>,),  Lad  Tukss.  c.  1. 


25 


in  the  Litany  inspire,  embrace  all  the  wants,  and 
extend  to  all  the  weaknesses  and  temptations  of 
'^  poor,  bewilder'd,  miserable  man." 

The  constant  reading  of  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
both  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  communi- 
cates, not  only  historical,  but  moral  and  religious 
instruction:  and  the  Lessons  from  each  are  so  select- 
ed, that  where  the  Service  is  performed  daily^ 
as  it  is  the  intention  of  our  Church  that  it  should 
be,  the  Old  Testament  is  read  over  once,  and  the 
New  Testament  three  times  every  year.  By  this 
means,  the  poor  and  illiterate  who  cannot  read,  the 
laboriously  active  who  have  not  leisure,  and  the 
foolishly  "  wise  in  their  own  conceits,"  who  think 
there  is  no  necessity  to  read  them,  hear  these  sacred 
oracles  of  divine  truth  promulgated,  and  are  there- 
by instructed  in  the  way  of  Salvation. 

The  admirable  arrangement  of  the  various  parts 
of  our  service,  and  the  judicious  alternation  of  pre- 
cept, prayer,  and  praise,  prevent  the  mind  from 
being  fatigued  by  too  protracted  an  attention  to 
either:  such  variety  relieves  it,  and  consequently 
gives  energy  to  its  action. 


26 


The  Offices  for  the  Administration  of  the  two  Sa- 
craments of  Baptism  and  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and 
those  for  the  Visitation  of  the  sick,  and  Burial  of 
the  Dead,  convey,  in  the  purest  strains  of  eloquence, 
that  Divine  Consolation  which  is  the  peculiar  cha- 
racteristick  of  our  Holy  Religion. 

The  established  Fasts  and  Festivals,  are  wisely 
calculated  to  keep  alive  in  our  minds,  the  most  im- 
portant incidents  and  principles  which  attended  the 
introduction  of  the  Christian  system,  by  annually 
presenting  them  before  us,  and  affectionately  solici- 
ting our  most  attentive  consideration  of  them. 

In  short,  the  majestick  simplicity,  and  sublime 
energy  of  this  wonderful  series  of  devotional  exer- 
cises, must  ever  command  the  affectionate  attach- 
ment of  the  members  of  our  Church,*  and  has  even 
obtained  the  liberal  praise  of  some  of  the  most  in- 
telligent and  eminent  of  the  non-episcopalians. 

*  For  the  Church  ol"  Kngland,  I  am  j)c  rsuadcd,  that  the 
constant  doctrine  of  it  is  so  pure  and  orthodox,  that  who- 
soever believes  it,  and  lives  accordins^  to  it,  undoubtedly 
shall  be  saved;  and  that  there  is  no  crrour  in  it,  which  may 
warrant  any  man  to  disturb  the  peace,  or  renounce  the 
communion  of  it.  C  » i  l  r,  i  n  r.  w  o  r  t  ir . 


27 


With  respect  to  our  Rites  and  Ceremonies,  they 
are  neither  numerous  nor  burdensome ;  preserving 
a  just  medium  between  the  fastidious  and  melan- 
choly coldness  of  Puritanism,  and  the  tedious  and 
unmeaning  mummery  of  Superstition,  they  are  ad- 
mirably calculated  to  awaken  and  animate  atten- 
tion. Appropriate,  solemn,  and  impressive,  they 
give  dignity  to  our  devotion,  and  enforce  the  subli- 
mity of  our  service.*  » 

In  recommending,  agreeably  to  the  Third  pro- 
posed head  of  my  discourse,  a  uniform  and  gene- 
ral performance  of  publick  worship,  according  to 
the  requisitions  of  its  rubricks,t  I  shall  first  address 
myself  to  the  Laity. 


*  For  a  more  copious  illustration  and  recommendation  of 
our  excellent  Liturgy,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  writings 
of  Wheatley,  Hooker,  Jewell,  Bennet,  Chillingworth,  Com- 
ber, Seeker,  and  Shepherd,  a  modern  writer  whose  critical 
and  practical  elucidation  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
in  3  vols.  8vo.  is  a  judicious  and  learned  commentary  on 
all  former  writers  on  that   subject. 

t  Kubricks  are  the  rules  and  directions  given  in  the  book 
of  Common  Prayer  for  the  proper  performance  of  the  res- 
pective offices  of  the  Church.    They  are  called  Bubricks, 


28 


And  here  I  must  be  permitted  to  remonstrate,  to 
rebuke,  and  to  persuade. 

A  leading  idea  in  the  construction  of  our  excel- 
lent form  of  publick  worship,  is,  that  it  should  be 
an  alternate  service  between  the  Minister,  and  the 
People.  Now,  unless  it  be  thus  performed,  so  far 
from  producing  its  intended  and  proper  effect,  so  far 
from  being  a  sublime  and  expressive  service,  it  is  ren- 
dered, to  the  audience,  not  only  insipid  but  absurd. 
If,  when  the  people  should,  with  an  audible  voice, 
perform  their  parts,  and  repeat  the  appointed  respon- 
ses, they  be  totally  silent,  and  the  voice  of  the  clerk 
alone  be  heard,  and  he  speaking  frequently  in  the 
plural  number,  how  can  the  intended  effect  be  pro- 
duced? Besides,  by  the  non-compliance  of  the  peo- 
ple with  the  instructions  of  the  rubrick,  that  ardour 

because  tlicv  were  fbrnicrly  di.slinjj;uislK'd  by  appcarinir  in 
red  letters.  Tlie  Latin  word  Rubrica,  IVom  whicli  the  Kn- 
irlish term  Rubrick  is  derived,  meansredearth,  red  ochre,  Sec. 
The  Kubricks  of  the  Missal \x\\i\.  other  Romish  offices,  are 
still  printed  in  red  letters.  In  the  modern  editions  of  our 
Liturgy,  all  the  offices,  excepting  the  responses,  are  gene- 
rally printed  in  Roman,  and  the  Rubrick  in  Italick  charac- 
ters. 


29 


of  religious  zeal,  that  sacred  fervour  of  devotion, 
which  is  always  awakened  by  the  irresistible  pow- 
er of  sympathy,  remains  dormant:  whereas,  did  the 
mingled  harmony  of  prayer  and  praise  resound  from 
the  tongues  of  the  whole  assembly,  how  animating, 
how  powerful  would  be  its  influence !  how  sublime 
and  interesting  would  our  service  then  appear!  and 
how  entirely  extinguished  would  be  that  listless- 
ness  and  apparent  indifference,  that  supine  and  tor- 
pid deportment,  which  so  frequently  are  seen,  and 
which  would  lead  a  stranger  to  suppose,  that  such 
persons  assembled  for  any  other  purpose  but  that  of 
worshipping  Almighty  God!* 


*Chrysostom,  who  was  Bishop  of  Antioch,  in  the 
fourth  century,  tells  us,  that  when  the  congregation  of  the 
Church  in  which  he  officiated,  made  the  responses,  and 
pronounced  Amen,  it  was  Hke  a  clap  of  thunder. 

Jerom  also  informs  us,  that  at  Rome,  in  his  time,  the 
people  answered  Amen,  with  a  voice  so  loud  that  it  resem- 
bled a  peal  of  thunder.  Ad  similitudinem  calestis  tonitrui 
Amen  rehoat,  Jer. 

It  may  not  be  proper  to  recommend  to  modern  Chris- 
tians too  close  an  imitation  of  these  examples;  but  hence 
we  may  take  occasion  to  observe,  that  Amen  {with  the  other 


30 


The  beauty  and  dignity  of  our  prescribed  form 
of  publick  worship  is  also  often  shamefully  obscu- 
red and  diminished,  by  the  standing  of  some,  the 
sitting  down  of  others,  and  the  reclining  attitudes 
of  many,  when  all  should  be  upon  their  knees  im- 
ploring the  mercy,  the  blessings  of  God.  * 

The  Divine  Authour  of  our  Religion,  Jesus 
Christ,  kneeled  down  when  he  prayed,  and  so 
did  his  apostles,  and  primitive  disciples. 

Under  the  Jewish,  as  well  as  during  the  early 
periods  of  the  Christian  dispensation,  kneeling  was 
considered  as  the  proper  posture  for  prayer.  Solo- 
mon, we  are  told,  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple 
"  kneeled  down  upon  his  knees  before  all  the  congre- 
gation of  Israel."  (2  Chron.  6,  13.)  Daniel  also 
"  kneeled  upon  his  knees  three  times  a-day,  and 
prayed  and  gave  thanks  before  his  God."  (Dan.  6, 
10.)  Peter  kneeled  down  when  he  prayed  and  rais- 
ed Dorcas  from  tlie  dead.  (Acts  9.  40)  Stephen, 
when  he  was  suffering  martyrdom,  "  kneeled  down, 

appointed  responses)  shinM  be    solemnly   pronounced    by 
the  whole  congregation,  with  a  distinct  and  aidible  voice. 

Shepherd. 


31 


and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  Lord,  lay  not  this 
sin  to  their  charge."  (Acts  7,  60.)  And  St.  Paul 
tells  the  Ephesians,  "  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Fa- 
ther of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  (Eph.  3,  14.) 

David's  exhortation  is,  "  O  come,  let  us  wor- 
ship, and  fall  down,  and  kneel,  before  the  Lord  our 
Maker."*  (Ps.  95,  6.) 

And  certainly  it  is  the  most  natural  and  proper 
posture  for  such  sinful,  rebellious  beings,  as  we  are, 
to  assume,  when  we  supplicate  the  awful  Majesty 
of  Heaven,  the  supreme  and  transcendently  glo- 
rious Creator  and  Governour  of  the  Universe. f 

*  Were  this,  or  any  other  posture  of  the  body,  during 
prayer,  a  matter  of  indilierence  to  the  Deity,  our  Saviour 
would  not  have  observed  it,  and  particularly  while  suffer- 
ing his  agony  in  the  garden:  (Matt.  26,39.)  nor  would 
St.  Paul  and  his  attendants  have;  kneeled  down  on  the  Sy- 
rian shore  to  pray:  (Acts  21,  5.)  both  those  situations 
being  in  the  highest  degree  unfavourable  to  such  an 
expression  of  adoration. 

t  "  Kneeling  in  prayer  (says  Archbishop  Sec KER,  Serm. 
7)  has  not  only  ancient  authority  but  nature  likewise,  on  its 
side;  and  so  strongly  expresses  and  excites  inward  humili- 
ty, that  it  should  never  be  omitted  wilfully  or  negligently  in 
favour  of  case  and  indolence." 


32 


Another  important  and  expressive  part  of  our 
excellent  Service,  which  is  almost  universally  ne- 
glected by  the  congregation,  is  the  duty  of  joining 
their  voices  with  that  of  the  Clerk,  and  with  the  Or- 
gan in  the  Chants  and  Psalms. 

Singing,  accompanied  by  instrumental  musick, 
has,  from  the  earliest  ages,  constituted  a  part  of 
publick  worship.  It  is  a  natural  expression  of  de- 
votional feelings.  Even  the  Heathen  in  their  sa- 
cred Festivals  used  it.  We  are  told  by  the  prophet 
Daniel,  that  when  the  golden  image  was  set  up  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  in  the  plain  of  Dura,  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Babylon,  the  act  of  adoration  was  accom- 
panied by  "  the  sound  of  the  cornet,  flute,  sackbut, 
psaltery,  dulcimer,  and  all  kinds  of  musick."  (Dan. 
3.  5.) 

In  the  Service  of  the  Tabernacle  and  Temple  all 
kinds  of  instruments  were  employed,  and  bands 
of  singers  and  musicians  in  such  numbers,  that 
one  of  the  Vatliers  of  the  Church  informs  us, 
the  burst  of  harmony  in  the  Temple,  on  days  of 
great  solemnity,  was,  from  the  elevation  of  the  build- 
ing  and  the  multitude  of  performers,  so  loud  that 


3:5 


it  could  be  heard  at  the  distance  of  several  miles.* 
Numerous  are  the  scriptural  authorities  for  this 
part  of  publick  worship,  both  in  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments. 

"O  come,"  says  David,  "let  us  sing  unto  the 
Lord,  let  us  heartily  rejoice  in  the  strength  of  our 
Salvation.  Let  us  come  before  his  presence  with 
thanksgiving,  and  show  ourselves  glad  in  him  with 
Psalms."  (Ps.  95.  1,2.)  "O  sing  unto  the  Lord  a 
new  song:  sing  unto  the  Lord,  all  the  whole  earth. 
Sing  unto  the  Lord  and  praise  his  name,  be  telling 
of  his  salvation  from  day  to  day."  (Ps.  96.  1,  2.) 
"O  be  joyful  in  the  Lord  all  ye  lands;  serve  the 
Lord  with  gladness,  and  come  before  his  presence 
with  a  song.  O  go  your  way  into  his  gates  with  thanks- 
giving, and  into  his  courts  with  praise."   (Ps.  100. 

*  The  practice  of  Psalm  singing  as  used  in  our  Church- 
es is  derived  probably  from  the  ancient  alternate  chanting 
of  the  Jews,  (Ezra,  3,  1 1.  Nehem.  12,  24.)  authourized  by 
the  Apostles,  and  adopted  into  the  earliest  Christian 
Churches.  Choral  musick  was  brought  into  England, 
A.  D.  596,  and  first  established  at  Canterbury.  Vide  Bed- 
ford's Temple  Musick.  Hawkins's  History  of  Musick, 
Vol.  land  2. 


o 


4 


1,3.)  ''Is  any  merry,"  saith  St.  James,  '^  let  him 
sing  Psalms."  (James  5,  13.)  '^Speak  to  yourselves," 
says  St.  Paul  "in  Psalms,  and  Hymns,  and  Spiri- 
tual Songs,  singing  and  making  melody  in  your 
hearts  unto  the  Lord*"  (Kph  5.  19.)  And  to  the 
Colossians,  "  teaching  and  admonishing  one  ano- 
ther in  Psalms,  and  Hymns,  and  Spiritual  Songs, 
singing  with  grace  in  yourhearts  to  the  Lord.  (Col. 
.3.  16.)  We  often  also  read  of  Christ  and  his  dis- 
ciples singing  a  Hymn. 

Instruments  of  musick,  and  particularly  organs, 
were  introduced  no  douht  to  aid  the  human  voice: 
it  too  frequently,  however,  happens,  that  instead  of 
aiding,  they  ahsolutely  suppress,  the  vocal  musick, 
or  prevent  many  in  the  congregation  from  singing, 
as  they  know  the  strain  will  be  performed  w^ithout 
their  aid:  this  is  much  to  beiamented;  for,  did  every 
individual  consider  it  his  duty  to  join  in  the  psalmo- 
dy to  the  best  of  his  ability,  the  united  voices  of  the 
whole  congregation  aided  by  the  organ,  would  pro- 
duce an  effect  higiily  conducive  to  the  grc  at  end  for 
which  puhliek  wor.shi]:)  was  originally  instituted,  iv'^:. 
the  glory  of  (inn,  and  ihe  i'nnlicrance  of  our  spiri- 


35 


tual  improvement  here,  and  eternal  Salvation  here- 
after. 

"  Religious  harmony,"  says  a  judicious  writer,* 
"  should  be  moving,  but  noble,  grave,  solemn,  and 
seraphick ;  fit  for  a  Martyr  to  play,  and  an  Angel 
to  hear."  By  thus  loudly  chanting  forth  the  praises  of 
our  God,  we  should  anticipate  and  prepare  our- 
selves for  our  future  employment  in  the  realms  of 
celestial  bliss  and  glory :  for  there  we  are  told  "  the 
innumerable  Sanctities  of  Heaven"  surrounding  the 
throne,  and  admitted  into  the  immediate  presence  of 
God,  "  rest  not  day  and  night,  saying  Holy,  Holy, 
Holy,  Lord  God  Almighty!  who  was,  and  is,  and 
is  to  come!"  "And  I  looked,"  saith  St.  John," 
and  lo,  a  lamb  stood  on  mount  Sion,  and  with  him 
an  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand,  having  his  Fa- 
ther's name  written  in  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard 
a  voice  from  Heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters, 
and  as  the  voice  of  a  great  thunder:  and  I  heard 
the  voice  of  harpers,  harping  with  their  harps;  and 
they  sung,  as  it  were,  a  new  song  before  the  throne." 

*  Collier. 


G 


(Rev.  14.  1,2,  3.)  And  again,  ''I  heard,  as  it  were, 
the  voice  of  a  great  muhitude,  and  as  the  voice 
of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  .  of  mighty  thun- 
derings,  saying,  Hallelujah!  for  the  Lord  God 
omnipotent  reigneth!  Let  us  be  glad,  and  rejoice, 
and  give  honour  to  him!"  The  Evangelical  prophet 
Isaiah,  to  whom  was  revealed,  in  vision,  the  glory 
of  the  celestial  world,  thus  sublimely  describes  the 
responsive  adoration  of  those  angelick  Heralds,  who 
communicated  to  him  his  heavenly  mission  :  ''  In 
the  year  that  King  Uzziaii  died,  I  saw  the  Lord 
sitting  upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train 
filled  the  Temple.  Above  it  stood  the  Seraphim: 
each  one  had  six  wings:  with  twain  he  covered  his 
face;  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet;  and  with 
twain  he  did  fly.  And  one  cried  unto  another,  and 
said,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy  is  the  Lord  of  Hosts:  the 
whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory!"  (Isa.  G.  1,  2,  3.) 
Let  me  entreat  you,  therefore.  Brethren,  interested 
as  you  all  are,  in  the  prosperity  of  our  Church,  and 
in  the  benefits  resulting  from  her  prosperity  to  each 
individual  who  endeavours  to  promote  it, — let  me 
entreat  you,  no  longer  to  indulge  in  apparent  cold- 


37 


ness  or  indifference  in  the  publick  worship  of  Al- 
mighty God;  but  let  each  individual  henceforth 
determine  to  perform  his  part,  in  so  laudable,  so 
important  a  duty:  thus  will  you  ''give  unto  the 
Lord  the  honour  due  unto  his  name,"  thus  will 
you  "worship  him  with  a  holy  worship,"  and  "  offer 
a  reasonable  and  acceptable  service:"  and  thus  will 
you  kindle  in  your  hearts  such  an  ardent  flame  of 
piety  and  true  devotion,  as  will  consume  all  your 
earthly  corruptions,  refine  and  purify  your  depra- 
ved passions,  animate  and  invigorate  you  in  your 
Christian  warfare,  illuminate  and  exhilarate  your 
path  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  Death, 
and  finally,  conduct  you  to  the  Paradise  of  God. 

In  concluding  this  Address,  permit  me,  my  Reve- 
rend Brethren,  most  affectionately  and  earnestly  to 
impress  upon  your  minds  the  necessity  of  your  most 
strenuous,  and  unremitted  exertions  to  induce  your 
congregations  to  comply  with  the  injunctions  con- 
tained in  the  rubricks  of  our  Morning  and  Evening 
Service.  In  an  especial  manner  would  I  now  address 
myself  to  those  of  you  whose  parochial  cures  are 
not  in  the  city.     Your  peculiar  situation  gives  you 


38 


very  considerable  influence  over  your  congregations, 
and  I  am  confident  your  zeal  for  the  glorious  cause 
in  which  we  are  engaged — your  regard  for  the  ho- 
nour of  our  Church — your  attachment  to  our  su- 
blime and  inimitable  form  of  worship, — your  love  of 
order  and  approbation  of  ecclesiastical  discipline — 
will  lead  you  to  omit  no  effort  which  remonstrance 
and  persuasion  can  make,  to  produce  this  desirable, 
this  blessed  effect,  in  your  respective  churches.  And, 
let  your  example  in  the  correct  and  undeviating 
performance  of  your  part  of  the  Service,  induce  their 
compliance  with  the  injunctions  of  the  Rubrick 
with  respect  to  theirs; — a  departure  /;/  any  degree 
from  the  prescribed  language  of  the  Liturgy,  by 
addition,  omission,  or  alteration,  as  it  originates  in 
vanity  and  self-conceit,  so  it  invariably  lessens  the 
dignity  and  destroys  the  perfection  of  our  Service. 
For,  can  it  be  supposed,  that  the  effusions,  however 
zealous,  of  an  individual,  can  be  superiour  to  the 
deliberate  composition  of  some  of  the  wisest  and 
most  pious  members  of  our  Church  assembled  to- 
gether in  Convocation;  which  composition  is  also 
ratified  and  confirmed   by   her   authority?  Besides, 


39    - 

let  every  Minister,  thus  disposed  to  offend,  remeiti'* 
ber,  that  at  his  ordination,  he  solemnly  promised 
"  to  conform  to  the  doctrines  and  worship  of  the  Pro, 
testant  Episcopal  Church,  in  these  United  States/' 
Nothing  I  am  persuaded  is  wanting  to  give  our 
Liturgy  that  marked  superiority,  in  the  general  esti* 
mation,  above  all  other  modes  of  publick  worship, 
which  its  intrinsick  excellence  deserves,  but  the 
/;r(9/j(^/*  performance  of  that  part  which  belongs  to  the 
people.*'  Were  it  duly  executed,  we  should  indeed 
then  "  pray  with  the  spirit,  and  with  the  under- 
standing also,  we  should  sing  with  the  spirit,  and 
with  the  understanding  also."  The  prayers  and 
praises  which  we  should  thus  offer  unto  God  in 
his  Holy  Temple,  would  be  a  Service  justly  calcu^ 
lated  to  express  the  profound  humility  of  the  wor- 
shipper, and  as  justly  accommodated  to  the  dignity 
and  majesty  of  the  object  addressed,   as  the  feeble 

*  A  late  writer  on  the  Liturgy,!  speaking  of  the  modeof 
worship  obtaining  where  there  rs  no  established  Form  of 
Devotion,  observes  that  '*  it  is  ahvays  too  naked  for  the  low. 
er  classes,  when  stripped  of  the  aids  of  fanatical  fervour, 
and  by  much  too  abstract  lor  the  young  and  illiterate." 
t  Macauley. 
F 


40 


powers  of  human  ability  can  possibly  frame.  We 
should  thereby  prove  that  we  are  a  people  "  taught 
of  God;''  and,  by  so  proper  an  exhibition  of  our  in- 
imitable Liturgy,  should  be  justly  said,  to  ''worship 
the  LoHi)  in  the  beauty  of  holiness."* 

Now  to  Gou  the  Father,  Sec. 


*  It  is  perhaps  worthy  of  observation,  that  even  in 
those    Christian    Societies    where    extempore    prayer    is 
practised  in  Piiblick  Worship,   though  the  expressions 
be  extempore,  and  they  profess  disapprobation  of  forms 
as  to  the  Minister,  yet  they  certainly  constitute  a  form  as 
to  the  Congregation,   the  people  being  altogether  led  by 
them,  and  the  aspirations  of  their  hearts  directed  by  them. 
In  such  case,  which  is   the   most  likely  to  be  accommo- 
dated to  the  dignity,   solemnity,  and  importance   of   the 
occasion  ? — those  Prayers  which  are  precomposed  by  the 
united  talents  of  the   wisest   and  most  pious  members  of 
a  Church,  and  which  the  people  are  well  acquainted  with 
before  they  utter  them,   or,   those  which  are  dicUited  by 
an  individual  at  the  moment  in  which  they   are  pronoun- 
ced,  and  of  which,   consecjuently,  the  people  can  know 
nothing,  before  they  liear.them  .' — Besides,  by  those  who 
reject  a  written  form  of  Prayer^  a  w  riiien  form  of  Praise 
is  fl/u'ay.y  used  ;  for  they  never  sing  any  psalms  or  hymns, 
but  those  which  are  printed.  Is  Prayer  less  worthy  of  pre- 
vious attention  than  Praise  ? 


VPPENDIX. 


THE  following-  extract  from  Reeves*  "  History  of  the  Common 
Prayer,"  will,  it  is  thought,  be  a  useful  appendage  to  the 
foregoing  Sermon,  as  it  communicates,  in  a  brief  and  explicit 
manner,  an  account  of  the  rise,  progress,  and  establishment 
of  the  Liturgy  of  our  Church. 


Set  forms  of  Prayer,  precomposed,  and  daily 
repeated  without  variation,  have  ever  been  in  use,  where 
there  has  been  any  constant  practice  of  religious  duties; 
and.  such  established  forms  are  necessary,  not  only  to 
assist  the  meditations  of  those,  who  cannot  always  com- 
mand their  thoughts,  and  direct  them  to  the  proper  object; 
but  also  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  persons  in  publick  de- 
votion, which  could  never  be  carried  on,  without  some 
settled  and  known  expression  of  sentiment  and  words, 
in  which  they  all  agreed,  and  to  which  they  all  were  ac- 
customed. The  practice  of  the  Jewish  and  Christian 
Church  has  been  the  same,  in  conforming  to  the  use  of 
some  precomposed  Prayers.  We  are  told  that  David 
appointed  the  Levites  to  stand  every  jnonwig  to  thank  and 


42 


praise  the  Lord,  and  Itkexvise  at  cvcri^  ( 1  Cluoii.  xxiii.  50.) 
which  could  not  be  performed  by  m.iny  persons  together, 
without  some  set  form,  in  which  they  all  could  join.  The 
whole  book  of  Psalms  may  be  considered  as  forms  of 
prayer  and  praise,  suggested  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the 
joint  use  of  the  congregation ;  and  this  appears  no  less 
from  the  titles  of  several,  than  from  other  places  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  testify  to  their  being  so  used,  (Chron.  x\i.  7. 
2  Chron.  xxix.  30.  Ezra,  iii.  10,  11.)  Indeed  there  is  so 
much  evidence  on  this  head,  that  one  should  no  more 
doubt  about  the  Jews  having  used  set  forms  in  their  de- 
votions, than  of  our  using  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

**  As  our  Saviour  always  joined  in  communion  with  the 
Jewish  Church,  he  gave  his  sanction  to  such  set  forms,  by 
his  compliance  with  them;  and  he  finally  gave  the  strongest 
approbation  to  continuing  the  practice,  by  delivering  to 
his  Disciples,  at  least  one  set  form  of  Prayer,  when  they 
asked  it  of  him.  No  doubt,  the  Apostles  and  Disciples 
joined  in  the  Jewish  worship  till  our  Lord's  ascension; 
and  when  they  had  formed  Christian  assemblies,  'it  is 
plain  they  used  in  them  precomposed  forms,  more  espe- 
cially in  psalms^  and  hymns^  and  spiritual  songs^  (^d^*  ^-  ^^') 
which,  and  the  like  descriptions  of  publick  devotion  so 
frequently  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  give  an 
idea  of  some  liturgical  order  observed  among  those,  who 
had  conversed  with  Christ,  and  gave  a  degree  of  credit 
to  the  liturgies,  which  have  been  from  the  earliest  ages, 
ascribed  to  St.  Peter,  St.  Mark,  and  St.  James;  which 
though  not  composed  by  those  persons,  are  certainly  of 
an  age  very  near  to  them. 


43 


**  That  the  primitive  Christians  used  set  forms  of  Prayer, 
is  also  evident  from  the  expressions  to  be  found  in  the 
earliest  fathers  of  Common  Fraz/ers,^  Constituted  Prayers, ^ 
and  Solemn  Prayers.X  But  this  matter  is  put  out  of  all 
doubt,  by  the  evidence  of  the  Apostolical  Constitutions^ 
where  are  given  the  forms  both  of  morning  and  evening 
prayer,  with  as  much  regularity  as  in  any  modern  Liturgy. 
After  the  period  ofthat  work,  which,  though  not  Aposto- 
lical, as  it  purports  to  be,  is  of  very  high  and  acknowledged 
antiquity,  the  forming  of  Liturgies  became  an  exercise  for 
some  of  the  most  eminent  among  the  fathers.  St.  Basil, 
St.  Chrysostom,  and  St.  Ambrose,  composed  each 
their  orders  and  forms  of  Prayer,  which  we  now  possess. 
In  this  class  of  works  may  be  reckoned  the  Lectionary  of 
St.  Jerom,  and  the  Sacramentary  of  St.  Gregory, 
which  last  person  seems  to  have  brought  the  Offices  of 
the  Western  Church  to  a  more  complete  form,  than  they 
had  yet  received,  and  by  such  eminent  services  to  the 
Church,  obtained  the  surname  of  the  Great. 

**  Out  of  these  various  Liturgies  had  been  compiled,  at 
different  times,  the  forms  of  Publick  Service  that  were 
used  in  this  kingdom,  for  many  centuries  during  the 
reign  of  Popery.  They  were  known,  under  the  several 
names  of  Breviares,  Missals,  and  Mass  Books;  and  those 
of  the  same  name  and  description  differed  the  one  from  the 
other,  so  that  there  were  in  the  kingdom  divers  forms 
of  Publick  Prayer;  there  was  the  use  of  Sarum,  the  use 

*  Kci¥»i  lvx«ti         t  n^»?-ccx^it(rxt  iv)c<»i'         t  Preces  solennes. 


of  Yorky  the  use  of  Bangor^  and  the  use  i)[  Lincoln.  'I'hese 
Offices  were  all  in  Latin,  so  that  th.e  Laity  who  had  not 
the  advantai^e  of  a  learned  education,  could  not  join 
in  them,  or  receive  any  edification  from  tliem ;  they  were 
also  mixed  with  many  of  those  corruptions,  into  which 
the  mother  Church  of  the  Western  World,  the  Church  of 
Rome,  had  fallen;  namely,  addresses  to  the  Saints,  adora- 
tions of  the  Host,  Images,  and  other  iuventions,  that  were 
no  longer  looked  on  with  reverence,  when  Henry  \'III 
began  the  great  work  of  Reformation.  It  was  then  thought 
necessary  to  correct,  and  amend  these  Offices;  and  not 
only  to  have  the  service  of  the  Church  in  the  English 
tongue,  but  to  restore  it  to  its  original  purity  ;  it  being 
the  design  of  our  Reformers,  not  to  introduce  a  new  Form 
of  Worshij),  but  to  correct  and  amend  the  old  one,  till 
it  was  rendered  more  agreeable  to  Scripture,  and  the 
practice  of  the  Primitive  Church,  in  the  purest  ages  of 
Christianity.  Li  this  Reformation  they  proceeded  with 
moderation,  and  gradually,  according  as  they  were  a!)le. 

*'  The  first  step  taken  in  tliis  attempt  to  reform  our  jnib- 
lick  worship,  w:is  in  the  year  13.37,  when  the  Comueation 
appointed  a  Committee  for  that  purpose.  This  Committee 
composed  a  book,  intitled,  The  Godly  and  pious  Inst'ituUon 
of  a  Christian  Man;  containing  a  declaration  of  the  Lord's 
Pra)er,  the  Ave  Maria,  the  Creed,  the  Ten  Command- 
ments, and  the  Se\en  Sacraments.  This  book  wa-.  repub- 
lished in  IjK),  and  again  in  151-3,  vvith  alterations,  under 
the  title  ol*  ./  necessary  Doctrine  and  Krudifion  for  any 
Christian  Man.  Also,  in  the  year  1510,  a  Committee  of 
Bishops  and  Divines   w;;^.  appointed  1)V  tin-    King,   to  re- 


45 


form  the  Rituals,  and  Offices  of  the  Church;  what  they 
did  was  reconsidered  by  the  Convocation,  in  1543;  and,  in 
the  next  year,  the  King  ordered  the  Prayers  for  Proces- 
sions and  Litanies  to  be  put  into  English,  and  publickly 
used.  Finally,  in  1545,  the  King's  Primer  came  forth, 
wherein  were  contained,  among  other  things,  the  Lord's 
Prayer,  Creed,  Ten  Commandments,  Venite,  Te  Deum, 
with  other  Hymns,  and  Collects,  in  English,  and  several 
of  them  in  the  same  version,  in  which  we  now  use  them. 
This  is  all  that  seems  to  have  been  done,  with  relation  to 
Liturgical  matters,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  VUL 

*'  In  the  first  year  of  Edward  VI,  x\nno  1547,  the 
Convocation  decJared  nullo  reclamante^  the  opinion  that  the 
Communion  ought  to  be  admi'.iistered  to  all  persons, 
under  both  kinds;  whereupon  it  \vas  ordained,  by  the  first 
Statute  passed  in  this  reign,  that  the  Communion  should 
be  so  administered.  The  next  measure  was  to  appoint  a 
Committee  of  Bishops,  and  other  learned  Divines,  for 
composing  a  uniform  Order  of  Commnmon  according  to  the 
rules  of  Scripture,  and  the  use  of  tJie  Primitive  Church, 
Within  a  few  days,  the  Committee  drew  up  that  Form, 
which  is  to  be  seen  in  Bishop  Sparrow's  Collection. 
Being  empowered  by  a  new  Commission  to  proceed  fur- 
ther in  this  pious  work,  they  finished  in  a  few  months  the 
whole  Liturgy,  having  drawn  up  Publick  Offices  for  Sun- 
days, and  Holy-Days,  for  Baptism,  Confirmation,  Matri- 
mony, Burial  of  the  Dead,  and  for  other  special  occasions; 
among  these  services,  the  beforemcntioncd  Office  for  the 
Communion  was  inferred,  i)ut  with  several  alterations. 
The  Liturgy  was  thus  composed  by  learned  Bishops,  and 


46 


Divines  of  eminence;  many  of  whom  afterwards  became 
Martyrs  for  the  Reformation  in  whicli  they  had  lal)Oured. 
It  was  revised  and  improved  by  the  Convocation,  and  was 
estabhshed  by  Statute  2  and  3  Edward  VI,  chap.  1, 
nnder  tlie  title  of  The  Book  of  the  Common  Prayer^  and 
Administration  of  the  Sacraments^  and  other  Rites  and 
Ceremonies  of  the  Churchy  after  the  Use  of  the  Church  of 
England. 

**  Some  exceptions  being  taken  at  certain  tilings  in  this 
book,  as  savouring  too  much  of  the  former  superstition, 
Archbishop  Cranmer  proposed  that  it  should  be  sub- 
mitted to  a  review;  on  which  occasion  he  desired  the  as- 
sistance of  two  foreigners,  Martin  Bucer,  and  Peter 
Martyh,  wliom  he  had  invited  into  this  country  during 
the  troubles  that  prevailed,  on  account  of  religion,  in  Ger- 
many. These  persons  were  very  forward  in  censuring 
various  parts  of  the  book;  and  they  prevailed  so  far  as  to 
j)rocure  the  rejection  of  many  things  in  it,  wliich  others 
think  were  primitive  and  a  ery  venerable  usages :  these 
foreign  advisers  lay  under  the  reproach  of  being  actuated 
more  by  the  prejudices  they  had,  in  favour  of  certain  re- 
formed Churches  abroad,  and  particularly  of  the  Calva- 
nistical  Church  of  Ckr.e\a,  than  by  the  suggestions  of 
a  sound  judgment,  or  the  lights  to  be  derived  from  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  Christian  antiquity. 

*'  Some  useful  additions,  however,  were  made  at  this 
Review;  of  which  one  was  j^refixing  the  sentences^  exhor- 
tation^ confession,  and  ahsnhition,  at  thr  beginning  of  the 
Morning  and  J\\ening  Prayer  ;  some  things  were  properly 
expunged,    such  as  the  use  of  r>///;z  baptism,  the  unction  of 


47 


the  s'lck^  prayers  for  soids  departed^  both  in  the  Communion 
Office,  and  in  the  Burial  of  the  Dead.  There  was  also 
expunged,  the  invocation  of  the  Holy  Ghost ^  in  the  conse- 
cration of  the  Eucharist;  the  prayer  of  Odiafio?!,  that  used 
to  follow  it ;  and  the  Kubrick  that  ordered  xvater  to  be 
mixed  with  the  sacramental  wine.  The  habits  prescribed 
by  the  former  Rubrick,  were  now  to  be  laid  aside;  and  a 
Kubrick  was  added  at  the  end  of  the  Communion  Service, 
to  explain  the  reason  of  kneeling  at  the  Sacrament.  The 
Book,  thus  revised,  and  altered,  was  confirmed  by  Stat.  5 
and  6  Ed.  VI,  ch.  1,  which,  at  the  same  time  declares, 
that  the  doubts,  which  had  arisen  respecting  the  first 
Book,  wer^,  rather  by  the  curiosity  of  the  Ministers  and 
mistakers,  than  of  any  other  worthy  cause.  To  this  work 
was  also  added,  for  the  first  time,  a  form  and  manner  of 
consecrating  archbishops^  bishops^  priests^  and  deacons.  But 
this  act,  and  the  former  act  of  uniformity,  were  both  re- 
pealed when  Queen  Mary  came  to  the  throne,  who  re- 
established the  Koman  form  of  worship  in  all  its  rites  and 
ceremonies. 

''  Upon  the  accession  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  several 
learned  divines  were  appointed  by  the  Queen,  to  make 
another  Ke view  of  King  Edward's  two  Liturgies,  and 
to  frame  fromthem  both,  a  Book  for  the  use  of  the  Church 
of  England.  After  some  debate,  which  of  the  two  Books 
should  be  received,  it  was  at  last  agreed,  that  the  second 
should  be  preferred;  and  it  was  accordingly  altered  in  some 
particulars,  and  proposed  to  Parliament:  the  Parliament 
approved  it;  and  having,  by  the  first  act  passed  in  this 
reign,  revived  the  two  statutes  of  Edward  VI,  they  pas- 


48 


seel  a  .second  tor  re-establishing  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer,  *'  with  one  alteration  or  addition,  of  certain  Les- 
sons to  be  used  on  every  Sunday  in  the  year;  and  the  form 
of  the  Litany  altered  and  corrected;  and  two  sentences 
only  added  in  the  delivery  of  the  Sacrament  to  the  Com- 
municants, and  none  other,  or  otherwise." 

"  In  this  state  die  Liturgy  continued  till  the  first  year 
of  James  I,  when,  after  the  Conference  at  Hampton- 
Court  (in  which  that  Prince  took  part)  between  the  Bishops 
on  one  side,  and  Dr.  Reynolds  and  other  Puritans,  on 
the  other,  there  were  made  some  few  alterations.  At  the 
end  of  the  Litany,  some  forms  of  Thanksi^iving  were  ad- 
ded ;  to  the  CatccJilsm  an  addition  was  made  concerning 
the  Sacraments;  the  Catechism  before  that  time  ending 
with  the  Answer  to  the  Question,  that  follows  the  Lokd's 
Prayer.  In  the  Kubrick,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Office  for 
Private  Baptism,  the  words  '  lawful  minister  '  were  insert- 
ed, to  prevent  midwives,  or  laymen  from  presuming  to 
baptize.  There  were  one  or  two  more  alterations.  What 
was  done  on  this  occasion  was  without  any  interference,  or 
sanction  of  Parliament. 

"  So  the  Liturgy  continued  till  the  reign  of  Charles 
II,  when  the  Presbyterians  requesting  another  Review,  the 
King  issued  a  Commission,  dated  25th  March,  1661,  em- 
powering twelve  Bishops,  and  twelve  Presbyterian  divines, 
to  make  such  reasonable  and  necessary  alterations,  as  they 
should  jointly  agree  upon;  to  these  were  added  nine  assist- 
ants on  tach  side.  These  commissioners  liad  several 
meetings  at  the  Savoy,  but  to  little  purpose.  The  Presby- 
terians showed  themselves  so  little  disposed  to  proceed,  in 


49 


the  temperate  way  pointed  out  by  the  Commission,  that 
the  Conference  broke  up,  without  anything  done,  except 
that  some  alterations  were  proposed  by  the  Episcopal  di- 
vines, which,  in  the  May  following,  were  agreed  to  by  the 
whole  Convocation.  The  principal  alterations  were,  that 
several  Lessons  in  the  Calendar  were  changed  for  others, 
which  were  thought  more  proper  for  the  days:  the  Prayers 
Jbr  particular  Ocrfl^io;?^  were  disjoined  from  the  Litany; 
the  two  Prayers  to  be  used  in  the  Ember  TVeeks,  the 
Prayer  for  the  Parliament^  that  yor  all  Conditiojis  of  Men y 
and  The  General  Thanksgiving,  were  added;  several  of 
the  Collects  were  altered ;  the  Epistles  and  Gospels  were 
taken  out  of  the  last  translation  of  the  Bible  in  the  time  of 
King  James,  being  read  before  out  of  what  is  called 
Cranmer's  translation:  The  Office  of  Baptism  for  those 
of  riper  Years,  and  The  Forms  of  Prayer  to  be  used  at  Sea, 
were  added.  A  more  particular  account  of  what  was  done 
at  this  Review,  may  be  seen  in  the  Preface  to  the  Common 
Prayer  Book. 

''  Thus  was  the  whole  Liturgy  brought  to  the  state  in 
which  we  now  see  it :  it  was  unanimously  subscribed  by 
both  houses  of  Convocation,  20th  Dec.  1661,  and  was 
established  by  the  last  Act  of  Uniformity,  Stat.  13  and  14 
Car.  II,  ch.  4,  when  Lord  Chancellor  Clarendon  was 
charged  by  the  House,  to  return  the  thanks  of  the  Lords 
to  the  Bishops  and  Clergy  of  both  provinces,  for  the  great 
care  and  industry  shown  in  the  Review. 

"  Such  is  the  History  of  the  Common  Prayer,  and  of 
the  several  Reviews,  it  has  undergone:  from  which  it  ap- 
pears, that,  in  the  successive  stages  of  this  national  work 


50 


of  reliction  and  picly,  there  has  invariably  i)een  a  union  of 
:ill  thr-  iibility,  and  all  the  aiUhority,  which  the  Church 
and  State  could  contribute:  the  matter  has  always  been 
planned,  digested,  and  approved  by  the  Bishops  and  Cler- 
gy, first  under  regular  commissions,  and  afterwards  in  full 
Convocation :  and  the  whole  result  has  then  been  sanction- 
ed by  the  King,  with  the  advice,  and  consent  of  the  three 
estates  of  the  realm.  So  that  it  stands  upon  the  joint 
foundations  of  ecclesiastical  and  civil  authority. 

'*  Our  Common  Prayer,  thus  framed  upon  the  most  ap- 
proved models  of  primitive  Christianity,  and  brought  to 
its  present  state  after  successive  revisions,  by  our  own  di- 
vines, has  been  judged  to  be  as  comprehensive,  and  as 
unexceptionable  a  Form  of  Publick  Service,  as  is  used  in 
any  Church  in  die  world.  We  have  the  testimony  of  the 
celebrated  Gkotius,  that  it  comes  nearer  to  the  primitive 
patterns,  than  those  of  any  of  the  Reformed  Churches: 
it  has  always  been  in  high  esteem  with  the  most  eminent 
Protestants  abroad :  and  it  lias  been  admired  even  in  the 
Eastern  Ciiurchus.  It  is  disiipproved  only  by  the  Papists, 
who  grudge  that  it  retains  not  more  of  their  service :  and 
by  the  Dissenters,  who  are  jealous  tliat  it  retains  any  of 
it  at  all.  Among  impartial  judges  it  must  be  owned,  to  be 
so  judiciously  contrived,  as  that  the  wisest  may  there  ex- 
ercise at  once  their  knowledge  and  devotion,  and  yet  so 
plain  tint  the  most  ignorant  may  pniy  out  of  it  with  under- 
standing; so  full,  that  nothing  is  omitted  which  is  fit  to  be 
asked  in  publick;  and  so  particidar,  that  it  comj)rises  most 
things  which  wc  would  ask  in  private;  and  yet  so  short, 
as  not  to  tire  anv  that  have  true  devotion.    Its  doctrine  is 


51 


pure  and  primitive ;  its  ceremonies  so  few  and  innocent, 
that  most  of  the  Christian  world  agree  in  them ;  its  method 
is  exact  and  natural ;  its  language  significant  and  perspi- 
cuous, most  of  the  words  and  phrases  being  taken  out  of 
the  Scriptures;  the  rest  are  the  expressions  of  the  first  and 
purest  ages.  In  such  forms  as  these,  there  are  few,  sure- 
ly, who  may  not  consent  to  worship  God,  if  they  desire 
only  to  do  it  with  zeal  and  knowledge,  spirit  and  truth, 
purity  and  sincerity. 

The  whole  of  the  Book,  as  now  finally  settled,  consists 
of  the  following  parts:  The  Common  Prayer^  containing 
the  services,  that  were  in  the  first  and  subsequent  Prayer 
Books,  to  which  the  Forms  of  Prayer  to  be  used  at  Sea, 
were  added  at  the  last  Review;  The  Psalter^  which  was 
always  a  distinct  Book  from  the  Common  Prayer,  till  the 
last  Review;  The  Form  of  Ordaining  and  Consecrating^ 
which  also,  before  the  last  Review,  was  a  distinct  Book ; 
and,  lastly,  The  annexed  Services,  which  have  been  added 
since  the  last  Review,  by  Royal  Authority.  These  Four 
Parts  comprehend  in  them  five  distinct  heads,  or  classes 
of  iVl alter:  namely.  Common  Prayer,  Sacraments,  Rites 
and  Ceremonies,  The  Psalter,  and  Ordaining  and  Consecra- 
ting; as  they  are  particularly  specified  in  the  titlepage 
of  the  book." 

'J'hus  fur  Mr.  Reeves. 

When  in  the  course  of  Divine  Providence,  The  United 
States  became  independent  on  the  Government  of  Great 
Britain,  it  was  rendered  necessary  that  certain  alterations 
dictated  by  local  circumstances  should  be  adopted;  which, 
after  various  Conventions  held  for  that  purpose,  was  ac- 


52 


cordingly  done,  and  established  in  1789,  when,  the  PLpisco- 
pal  successions  being  then  obtained  from  the  Church  of 
England,  there  was  held  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  a  Con- 
vention of  the  Bishops,  the  Clergy,  and  the  Laity  ;  the  two 
latter  orders  being  represented  by  deputies  from  the 
Church  in  the  different  States.  In  that  Convention  was 
established  "  The  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  See."  and 
*'  The  Book  of  Psalms  in  Metre,  &.c."  as  now  used  by  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica. The  same  Church  has  since  in  a  General  Convention 
held  in  New  York  in  1792  appointed  **  a  Form  of  Making, 
Ordaining,  and  Consecrating  Bishops,  Priests,  and  Dea- 
cons," and  also  **  A  Form  of  Consecration  of  a  Church  or 
Chapel;"  and  at  a  Convention  held  in  1801,  *'  Articles  of 
Religion,  &:c."  and  in  a  late  General  Convention  held  in 
Baltimore,  (May,  1808)  thirty  additional  Hymns  were 
authorized. 


THE     END. 


& 


#■ 


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